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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Which Risk Would You Take?

46 replies

relish3 · 11/02/2011 21:56

Which will you choose, Not to believe in God and die and find out that there is God...or Believe in God and die,only to find out that there is no God?

OP posts:
Changing2011 · 11/02/2011 21:58

I will...... go to the pub.

Coca · 11/02/2011 21:59

Believe that there is a "god" who doesn't give a monkeys if you believe or not and therefore won't treat you any differently

FreddyTeddy · 11/02/2011 21:59

Believe there is no god, for sure.

If you only 'believe' to cover your own arse then you don't truly believe anyway so I doubt it'd help anyway. I can't see you being rewarded with eternity in paradise if you only went to church for selfish, self preserving reasons.

HumphreyCobbler · 11/02/2011 21:59

I think Mary McCarthy said she would dislike a god who would punish her for not believing in him and she would not like to spend eternity with such a person (or something similar).

I can't choose to believe, I just actually don't believe. Nothing I can do about it.

AgentZigzag · 11/02/2011 22:02

Good question Grin

The first one you'd be kicking yourself for having the chance to achieve eternal happines and peace and not taking it up.

The second lots would find a 'wasted' life, but would it really matter if it made you happy to believe in God? It's not going to matter is it if there's nothing there?

What do you think OP?

SmethwickBelle · 11/02/2011 22:03

You can't choose to believe in something. Either you do or you don't.

Ismene · 11/02/2011 22:03

Isn't that Pascal's wager?

mistressploppy · 11/02/2011 22:03

Agree with Freddy and Humph. You don't have a choice really - either you believe or you don't. I went to Scripture Union camp every year between the ages of 10 and 15 and I never even came close to believing in god, despite wanting to (the leaders explained carefully how I wouldn't get to heaven if I didn't Hmm)

HecateQueenOfWitches · 11/02/2011 22:06

Believe in God.

It makes me happy during my life to think that there is a heaven and that everyone will ultimately get what's coming to them Grin

and if I'm wrong and there's no god, then there's no afterlife and when I die I just wink out of existence. I won't know anything about it.

ShirleyThisCantBe · 11/02/2011 22:06

Surely the second choice is "die and die" and the first choice is "die and go "oh shit""?

KaraStarbuckThrace · 11/02/2011 22:07

Pascal put forward a wager. Either there is or the is or ins't a God, and you do or don't believe in him.

The only way you could lose was if He did exist and you didn't believe in him.

MavisEnderby · 11/02/2011 22:08

Don't believe.

If God existed why did dp die and why have I got a disabled child?

Unless it is some kind of test...

Wish I was a believer actually.It would give some kind of order to the randomness of my life

magicmummy1 · 11/02/2011 22:08

I agree, it isn't a choice that we make. I wanted to believe in a God, I tried to believe. But I couldn't. And don't.

maryz · 11/02/2011 22:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ismene · 11/02/2011 22:11

here

You can't choose. If you truly believe in God then the question is irrelevant to you. If you pretend to believe in God in case he does exist in order to secure your place in heaven in case it also exists then if he really does exist, he is omniscient and omnipotent by definition and he knows you are shitting him. If you pretend to believe for these reasons and he doesn't exist you have wasted your time and lived the life you did have according to rules you didn't need to because he didn't exist anyway.

Mind you, if you believe Descartes then he does exist because by definition he is perfect and to be perfect you have to exist. Not existing would be an imperfection.

MillieMummy · 11/02/2011 22:12

I have always love the Rowen Atkinson sketch when he is the devil welcoming people to hell; "atheists i bet you are feeling really stupid now".

I am a life long athiest and I am more than happy to be found to be stupid in the event of facing 'Rowen'.

MavisEnderby · 11/02/2011 22:14

Maryz,hold hands up.Am fuckwit.

Dansmommy · 11/02/2011 22:17

I believe in God. I also believe he doesn't give a shite whether people believe in him or not, it's about living a good life. My dad is an atheist, but is one of the nicest people you could meet...if he doesn't get into heaven me and God are falling out.

FreddyTeddy · 11/02/2011 22:18

MillieMummy I have that Rowan Atkinson sketch on tape cassette (showing my age Blush ) it is so funny.

FreddyTeddy · 11/02/2011 22:19

I'd forgotten how funny it is.

maryz · 11/02/2011 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

maryz · 11/02/2011 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MillieMummy · 11/02/2011 22:20

Freddy - isn't there a line about adulters and a very small guilotine?

I love Rowen Atkinson; may have to head of to youtube and watch a few sketches .....Wine

Dansmommy · 11/02/2011 22:21

Maryz, xpost, I agree with you.

I come from a catholic family, and am bringing my kids up catholic, but to me that bit's about culture/tradition. I'll be encouraging them to believe in god/heaven/prayer etc, but I certainly don't expect them to believe every word of the church's teachings, or the bible. In fact I think I'd be disappointed if they did!

FreddyTeddy · 11/02/2011 22:24

Mille Yes, there was a guillotine Grin

The version I had on cassette was funnier than the youtube clip I found, I haven't listened to it in years but I can tell when he says a different word than the one I'm expecting him to say. A sure sign I used to listen to it too often I guess.